


An Interlude of Light

by Emrys MK (mk_malfoy)



Series: Merlin Episodes: AUs, Missing Scenes, and Inspired By [23]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Boys In Love, Canon Era, Episode: s04e01-02 The Darkest Hour, Explicit Sexual Content, Fix-It, M/M, Magic Revealed, Missing Scene, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Romance, Sad Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-25
Updated: 2019-08-25
Packaged: 2020-09-26 01:31:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20381476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mk_malfoy/pseuds/Emrys%20MK
Summary: Lancelot has taken Merlin back to Camelot, presumably to die, and Arthur is facing sacrificing himself to seal the veil. Things are about as dark as they can possibly be, but sometimes darkness gives way to an interlude of light.





	An Interlude of Light

**Author's Note:**

> Last year, when Polo announced she was not doing Pornalot this year, I lamented the loss long before it hit because OMG it was such a fun fest. But fast-forward to this year.... and Kinkalot was born! And just as Pornalot was, this fest is AMAZING! It has pushed me to write more kink, which can only be a good thing! 
> 
> **Disclaimer**: Merlin characters are the property of Shine and BBC. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
> 
> And last but not least... GO Team Knights!

Arthur couldn’t concentrate as he and the knights sat around the fire. He could hear them blathering – Gwaine was spouting off about his socks, and some of the others were ribbing him for it – but the only thing Arthur saw and heard was Merlin running towards the whatever it had been and then hitting the wall with a thunk.

Damn Merlin and that indefatigable need of his to be the hero when he had no business being such. Now he was probably dead or soon would be. Arthur had seen many fatally wounded men in his life, but he had never seen someone in Merlin’s state. He had almost seemed frozen, yet he had been able to speak, even if it had been almost indecipherable.

A paler human Arthur had never seen.

And hadn’t Gaius said that no mortal could survive this thing if it touched you?

“Damn it, Merlin,” Arthur whispered as he roughly wiped his face and cleared his throat.

Had it been anyone else, Arthur would have said they got what they deserved because of their stupidity, but it was Merlin. And Arthur didn’t know what life without Merlin would be like.

But what Arthur did know was that he loved the fool, completely and irrevocably.

He was about to stand and go outside to get some air when he heard a strange noise. The knights continued to natter on, but Arthur stopped them.

Swords were drawn and everyone was on high alert.

Lancelot walked in.

Arthur went rigid. This must mean that Merlin was gone.

The desolation he felt was so complete that he couldn’t wait to sacrifice himself to close the veil. His only hesitation previously had been Merlin – he would miss him – but without Merlin by his side, Arthur knew that sacrificing himself was the only thing to do. Yes, he would have sacrificed himself even if Merlin had lived because that was what he was meant to do, but now he would have absolutely no reservations about doing so.

But then Lancelot said Merlin was alive.

And Merlin walked in, looking as goofy and beautiful as ever.

Merlin walked towards Arthur, who was unable to speak or move for several seconds as they stared at one another.

The other knights greeted Merlin with hugs and slaps on the back.

Arthur wondered if he were dreaming. He knew he wasn’t, but here Merlin was, looking as if nothing had happened to him. Arthur wanted to cry in relief and he wanted to take Merlin in his arms and never let him go.

But then he remembered why they were on this journey, and reality hit him. Merlin had come back to him, but Arthur was about to leave Merlin.

The magnitude of the realisation crushed Arthur, but when Merlin walked up to him, Arthur pushed those feelings away and grasped Merlin on the arm – he daren’t hug him lest he do something completely mental, such as cry out or crush Merlin to him and press a kiss to his head or face or lips.

After everyone ate and settled down for the night, Arthur and Merlin talked.

Just as Arthur thought he would, Merlin said he would sacrifice himself in Arthur’s place. Of course, Arthur categorically nixed that idea before he said they should get some sleep.

Everything in him wanted to crawl the short distance to Merlin and hold him for dear life and never let go, but he restrained himself and turned away from Merlin and closed his eyes.

Sleep evaded him.

“Arthur,” Merlin whispered in Arthur’s ear.

“What?” replied Arthur, turning his head to look into Merlin’s eyes, which were much too close.

“I-I need to talk to you and it can’t wait.” Merlin stood and motioned for Arthur to follow him.

Almost everything in Arthur screamed for him not to follow, to stay where he was, but his heart led him to do as Merlin asked. It would always do as Merlin asked. He stepped outside and saw Merlin stood against a tree, looking at him.

Swallowing, Arthur joined him.

“Are you really going to do this? Sacrifice yourself for your people?” Merlin asked sadly.

Arthur nodded. He couldn’t speak. What would he say if he could?

“Then there’s something you should know before you do that.”

“And what is that, Merlin?” Arthur asked, quite sure he was about to get the admission that he had waited so long for, the answer to why Merlin had survived something that no mortal should have.

“I love you. I know I have no right to say that to you, but I do. I can’t help it. I can’t imag--”

Arthur cut Merlin off with a kiss, shoved him against the tree, and ravished his mouth. He knew they didn’t have much time – Gwaine would no doubt come outside with the excuse that he needed to pee – but Arthur would not allow this one opportunity to pass him by. He peppered desperate kisses down Merlin’s neck as his hands found the fastenings to Merlin’s breeches. “Can I feel you, Merlin? Please?” he begged.

“Yeah,” Merlin said breathlessly as he lifted his head to give Arthur’s mouth easier access.

Then Arthur was touching Merlin and feeling how hard he was. And then Merlin was undoing Arthur’s breeches and touching him. It was the best feeling Arthur remembered ever having. Merlin’s hands were surprisingly warm as they fondled his foreskin and pushed it back. “Oh gods, Merlin, I wish we could do more.”

Merlin ground himself further into Arthur and kissed him as Arthur pressed him further into the tree. Then Merlin’s hand found one of Arthur’s nipples and pinched it.

That, along with the friction of their cocks was all it took for both of them to spill onto each other.

When Arthur woke up the following morning, his breeches clean, he smiled.

He hadn’t received the vocal revelation he anticipated, but the one he had been gifted with had been quite satisfactory indeed.


End file.
